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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262340">Stuck at Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninamyyly/pseuds/ninamyyly'>ninamyyly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sheith Kids and Christmas [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Housewife Keith (Voltron), Implied Mpreg, Insecure Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Making Out, Married Keith/Shiro (Voltron), POV Shiro (Voltron), Post Mpreg, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:23:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,634</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28262340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninamyyly/pseuds/ninamyyly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the twins were born, Keith has been spending a lot more time at home. After a comment from Lance, Shiro wonders if he should be worried Keith is neglecting himself and his career for the sake of Shiro's own.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Keith/Shiro (Voltron)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sheith Kids and Christmas [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>89</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Merry Sheithmas 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stuck at Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/gifts">ThatScottishShipper</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is this year's version of Sheith Secret Santa, which ended up being kind of a sequel to the one I did last year, though it can also be read independently. I hope you all, but especially ThatScottishShipper will enjoy!! Happy holidays, and may 2021 be a better year for all of us!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>After the twins were born, Keith has been spending a lot more time at home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not really that big of a shock. With the addition of the twins to their family, Shiro and Keith had four children in total, all under the age of seven. With two newborns, a toddler and a very rambunctious and energetic six-year-old, just staying home taking care of everything related to their family was a chore. They never really had to discuss it; it was only more or less silently agreed that Keith would take an extended paternity leave to care for the twins and Sven at home while Andi went to school, and Shiro returned to work at the Garrison.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the way things have remained until now, settling into a new routine and normalcy. Shiro hasn’t felt the need to dwell on the matter much, other than being grateful for everything his husband does at home. He can’t put into words what a relief it has been to be able to come home after a long day at the Garrison and have a warm meal ready and waiting for him, just needing to be set on the table. The house would always be spotless, and Shiro’s laundry would always be washed and ironed and smell slightly like a summer breeze due to the detergent Keith uses. And on Fridays, Shiro gets to go relax in the hot bath after dinner, waiting for him ready and warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it’s not like Shiro doesn’t do his utmost to pull his weight around the house and regarding his family. The last thing he wants is to become an absent type of father figure or put all of the load of childcare on Keith. So during weekdays, Shiro makes sure their kids remember their manners and eat their vegetables at the dinner table, before helping Andi with her homework, playing with her and Sven and bathing the twins while Keith reads their older two a bedtime story. They end the night by tucking their children in as a joint effort. Then during weekends Shiro does whatever laundry there is to be washed and does his best to make the house even more spotless in the mornings. Afterwards, they all usually end up going somewhere to do something together as a family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Shiro can’t deny it is still a relief to know how much effort Keith puts into making sure their family is functioning alright. Even now, when Andi and Sven are starting to spend more time away from home, there is still more than enough to look after with Ryou and Kai having hit their terrible twos. They are both incredibly clingy and unwilling to do as asked, but whereas Ryou is more prone to temper tantrums when Shiro leaves for work or if he’s told to eat his vegetables, Kai mostly just shuts down and cries silently, it breaks your heart. Knowing that when Ryou clings to Shiro’s leg and screams loud enough to pierce his eardrums, while his twin wept achingly beside him, Keith would be there to pull them away is a huge weight off Shiro’s shoulders. Keith would soothe the terror twins and explain that Papa had to go to work, but Daddy would be here all day in a gentle, patient coo that eventually dried the boys’ tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It is a ritual that they may have to repeat every morning, but at least it works. It leaves enough time for them to calm down that Shiro can give them goodbye kisses on the head, and one on Keith’s lips, before taking their older siblings to school on his way to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With all of that going on, it’s also no wonder that Keith and Shiro haven’t had much time to spend away from work and the children. They do get their moments in the evening and at night when their brood is asleep, and those occasions for the most part are enough to carry them forward in their relationship and help them keep working together as a team, both in their marriage and as parents. But even if their relationship hasn’t suffered for their lack of free time, they can’t exactly say the same thing about their friendships with other people outside their family. It doesn’t help that most of former Team Voltron is almost always on a different planet somewhere taking care of various things, ranging from being a Queen of a whole planet to studying the different methods of engineering from the peoples of foreign galaxies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro can’t deny that this opportunity for all of them to get together is more than a little thrilling. With Allura and Lance visiting from New Altea, just in time for the holidays, and Hunk and Pidge on Earth for once as well, Keith and Shiro could hardly refuse to join their friends at their little Paladin Holiday Party at the pub they used to frequent. Naturally, it is an adults-only event, because to quote Lance, “We all need some time without the kids, with adult company and adult activities. Like drinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully, the children won’t be left completely bereft either. Shiro and Keith’s house, being the biggest one with the most toys on-site, has been chosen as the location to host a Holiday Party for all the Paladin offspring, with all the grandparents called to supervise. Shiro just hopes a group consisting of Krolia, the Holts, Hunk’s and Lance’s parents will be enough to manage the chaos. Between all the Paladins, they have ten children in total, and that is a group that won’t be easy to manage. Especially when it includes such energetic bombs as Andi, Alfor and Sefina, not to mention Melenor, Kai and Ryou all in their terrible twos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro’s nerves over how things will go certainly don’t make it easier to pull apart from the kids as the time to leave arrives. Shiro should probably be used to it already, but Ryou and Kai’s tears always cause a twinge in his heart as they beg their parents not to leave. At least he’s not alone in that, because Keith’s conflicted expression tells him his husband is also starting to crack under the pressure of begging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, now, you two,” Krolia steps in, crouching down beside her twin grandsons. “Don’t you want to start writing letters for Santa and bake cookies with Grandma?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The calm suggestion is enough to at least put a pause to the tears. Sven steps beside his little brothers as well, offering them his hands in his usual, calm, quiet manner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on,” he says softly. “Let’s go make snow stars to put on the window.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That brings out a smile in Ryou and Kai, and they each take a hold of Sven’s hands, allowing him to pull them along to the arts and crafts table set up in the living room. He gives them a meaningful smile that looks strange on such a small child, but before Shiro has time to dwell on that more, he and Keith are shoved out the door and into the cab to take them to the city.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sit in silence for a while, it sounding almost strange in Shiro’s ears; used to all the noise in their home. It doesn’t take long for Keith to break it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we giving Sven enough attention?” he sighs, running his fingers through his hair in thought. “I know we’ve discussed all of this before, but I still worry he’s going to end up feeling like the invisible middle child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro hums, letting the thought wash over him. The topic regarding their oldest son is indeed not new between him and Keith. Between his active big sister and two attention-seeking little brothers, Sven is something of an anomaly in their family. He’s always been quiet, almost serene in his manner, and Shiro and Keith have both worried that in their need to make sure the other three are taken care of, Sven might be left behind just because it seems like he’s handling himself. They’ve both done their best to keep in mind that Sven is still a very young child, even if he seems mature. He needs love and attention just like his siblings, even if the way he likes to be shown affection is a little different; not really using many words to talk, but liking to play together with those he loves and being close and affectionate otherwise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe you can try to do something he likes a bit more during the week? Like visit the library,” Shiro suggests. “And I can try to play with him a little more when I come home and during the weekends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith hums in affirmation and nods. “It’s nice that the holidays are coming up,” he says. “It’ll be nice to have you home, and Mom too.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “I almost can’t believe we’re going out tonight. It feels like forever since we’ve all been able to get together at the same time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me about it.” Shiro smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lance and Allura are already at the pub, seated in a reserved booth when they arrive, and their reunion immediately becomes a flurry of hugs, greetings and quick catching-ups. When Hunk and Pidge arrive not long after, more hugs and cheers of joy follow, and Lance orders them the first round of drinks. The air soon becomes filled with merriment fueled further by everyone starting to get a little tipsy as they all catch up on everything that has been going on, better than they have been able to do over StarSkype.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, because they’re all parents now with children they adore, talk inevitably turns towards their families soon enough. A lot of new pictures are shared and exchanged, and there’s much wonderment over how much the kids have all grown. It almost makes Shiro sad they didn’t include the children tonight, and makes him look forward to their traditional party on the 24th with all the Paladins and their families getting together. He wants some time with his nieces and nephews too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It is nice to be able to commiserate with Lance and Allura about the terrible twos, though, and they probably couldn’t do that with the kids around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can barely imagine how you two manage it,” Lance admits in a rush of air. “I mean, we have our hands full with Melly alone, not to mention the others. But I mean, you have to handle two at the same time, aside from Andi and Sven too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Believe it or not, even combined, Ryou and Kai are not as bad as Andi was,” Keith says, taking a sip of his whiskey. “At least with the twins, we can usually tell what is bothering them, she used to just scream until she was hoarse for no apparent reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe that’s just experience talking though?” Hunk cuts in. “I mean, you’ve already done the terrible twos at least once, so you know what to expect a bit more than that first time. Did Sven have them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His showed up with mostly just him being more sullen,” Keith says. “You know how he is, mostly internal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It felt really bad to leave the twins tonight though,” Shiro admits in a sigh. “I always feel like I’m abandoning them. They still cry every time I go to work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith gives him a warm, comforting smile, patting his shoulder and sliding his hand down his arm in a soothing gesture. “They always calm down soon enough though. Deep down, they know you’ll always come back. Their emotions are just too strong for them to handle without tears right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I know,” Shiro says, giving him a grateful smile in return. “I’m just glad you’re always there to comfort them. It helps me walk out that door.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re still smiling gently at one another, holding warm eye-contact, when Lance cuts in, “So you’re still staying home with the kids then, Mullet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long are you going to keep calling me that?” Keith grumbles instead of answering. “If my hair ever was a mullet, it hasn’t been that for years now, and you know it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Once Mullet, always Mullet, Mullet,” Lance says, sipping his cocktail. “But really, you’re still just home with the kids?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith shrugs. “Why not? You said it yourself, the twins are a handful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, but you could always get a nanny,” Lance says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need a nanny. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my own children,” Keith huffs, crossing his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just saying, I never really imagined you as the housewife type.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro swallows around a sudden tight lump forming in his throat. He’s never thought about their family situation like that. But now that it’s been presented to him, in words, by an outside point of view, he suddenly can’t get it out of his head. Why </span>
  <em>
    <span>hasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>Keith gone back to work during the past few years? They really could easily have hired a nanny or put the twins in daycare or even asked someone they know to watch them during the day, if that was the problem. But Keith’s never so much as brought up the idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels ludicrous all of a sudden, this whole situation they’ve ended up in. The Keith Shiro remembers from his youth wanted to reach high, wanted to do things people didn’t think he was capable of and prove them wrong. It was one of the things that first drew Shiro to him; that drive for discovery of the unknown that they both shared. Surely Keith can’t have changed so much that he’s completely content with just being a househusband, taking care of the children at home and not having much of a life outside of that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro quickly reaches out to take his drink in hand and gulps it down, ignoring the way it burns his throat. He needs to think about this. He can’t believe he’s been this inconsiderate and ungrateful, not realizing something could be the matter. That he’s been content to just let things be because it’s easier for </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, when he should’ve been making sure Keith was alright as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, no more of that. After all, if Shiro doesn’t look out for Keith, who will? It’s his duty to do better as his husband.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” Keith asks him later, once again in the back of a cab, the warm weight of his body leaning against Shiro’s side. “You barely said a word tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” Shiro murmurs, pressing a kiss to Keith’s head. “I just have a lot on my mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you wanna talk about it?” Keith asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro shrugs. “I’m just thinking. I might take an extended break from work. I think it would be good for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It would give them more time for a transition period, especially for the twins, if they were to move to Keith going back to work and the children having someone else to look after them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That would be nice,” Keith hums, nuzzling against Shiro sweetly. “Maybe we can take a trip together, as a family? We’ve barely gone anywhere since the twins were born.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro has a feeling Keith’s not understanding where he’s getting at. “Maybe,” he says. “But I thought it’d be good for me to get some more time with the kids. That way you could have some more time for yourself, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t really need that much time for myself. I like being with the kids,” Keith says. “But if you looked after the twins, it would make it easier for me to focus on Sven a little bit more, so it’s not a bad idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro sighs, leaning against the back of the seat. His head is a little fuzzy from alcohol, and he’s not really getting his words out right. He should probably wait until he’s sober to try again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cab arrives in front of their house, and Keith starts to pay the driver. “Let’s go see how much of our house the children blew up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro lets out a small groan, and follows his husband out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite his best efforts, Shiro doesn’t get much of a chance to talk to his husband about the issue of Keith being so stuck at home. The holidays and all the rush that comes with them with children in the house soon take over everything else. And on top of that, Shiro has to keep up with his work and try to apply for some time off, as well as start planning for who at the Garrison will take care of which of his duties when he’s away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At home, the children are even more energetic with the holidays, especially on a bit of a sugar high that comes with the seasonal treats. It’s an incredible hurry to get the presents for all four organized, to clean and decorate the house and buy all the ingredients for the food and sweets that will be prepared for and during the holidays. Everything gets so busy that Shiro almost forgets to think about the matter of his househusband for a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s grateful that being so active all day with the excitement for the holidays knocks the children out early and hard. He’s never been more glad for it now that he and Keith are finally getting to have a proper moment alone in their bedroom. The sudden sight of Keith’s bare back as Shiro walked in on him changing proved to be too much for Shiro, and he can barely remember what happened between that and now, as he and Keith exchange deep, passionate kisses on their bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro can feel Keith’s nails start to dig into his back as he caresses his soft skin with as much adoration as he can put into his touch. After the twins were born, there was a period where Keith was a little self-conscious about his body, and how both time and the multiple pregnancies had begun to affect him. He’s still strong and quick, but his whipcord-tight body that was almost too slender has begun to soften out. Shiro loves that softness on him, loves how smooth his skin is to touch and kiss, and how it shows Keith is no longer struggling, but healthy and well-fed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s still the most beautiful person Shiro’s ever seen, and Shiro wants him to know that, to feel that from him, so he’ll never have any room for doubt. And it’s not like Shiro really has room to complain about Keith’s changing body, when he himself has developed a bit more of a stomach over the years. A busy life with children and a job that mostly involves sitting and lecturing would do that to anyone, along with metabolism slowing with age. And Keith’s never found any reason to complain, only thankful as Shiro is that they’ve had this chance to grow older and fatter, to not have to worry so much about what they put in their mouths because it could either be detrimental to their own health or for the peace of the universe, if they weren’t in perfect shape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro takes the moment to stroke a nipple with his thumb, in a way that is a little to the rough side, just the way he knows Keith likes it. Keith trembles beneath him for it, letting out a shuddering sigh that goes straight into Shiro’s groin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“D-don’t tease, Takashiiii,” Keith groans, pulling away from their kiss. “What if the kids wake up? Just put it in already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I doubt they’ll wake, with how they barely managed to stay awake long enough for their story,” Shiro says, leaning in to peck Keith on the lips. “Besides-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you say ‘Patience Yields Focus’ right now, I’ll kick you in your happy place. Then nothing gets anywhere nice tonight,” Keith huffs. “Besides, never mind the kids, I haven’t had you inside in months, so just do it already!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine, fine,” Shiro says playfully, moving just enough that he can reach his nightstand drawer, searching for a condom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except he can’t find one, no matter how hard he searches. Even as he turns to properly look, he can’t find so much as an empty box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then it hits him. He can faintly remember that he and Keith used the last condom the last time they were able to be intimate. He’d thrown the package into the garbage, hoping that not having it in his drawer would remind him to buy more. But they haven’t really had time to spend in the bedroom lately, and with everything else going on, buying condoms had completely slipped his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, baby,” Shiro mumbles, feeling a cold wave of disappointment wash over him. “We don’t have any condoms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s okay,” Keith says, moving closer to Shiro to give him a comforting, sweet kiss. “We can go without.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It feels like a huge, freezing splash of a reminder of what Shiro has been forgetting to bring up for all these weeks. They’d figured out early on into their relationship that human birth control had little to no effect on Keith, likely due to his half-Galra physiology. Coran, Pidge and Hunk had briefly tried to come up with a mixture that would work, but all their attempts proved to have too many side effects to really be worth it. So he and Shiro had resolved to use condoms when they had sex in a way that could result in pregnancy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But saying they don’t need one now… what does Keith mean by that? Is he fine with the possibility of having another child? Being stuck at home yet again for another few years? Is Shiro going to doom him to put off his career even longer? Perhaps he should just volunteer to quit his own job, if there is going to be another child, so Keith can work instead of him? But Keith would still have to take paternity leave to have the baby, and…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Takashi?” Keith’s voice cuts his train of thought short. “What’s wrong? Your hardon went down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a hot wave of embarrassment, Shiro realizes Keith’s right. He averts his eyes, feeling himself blush. “It’s nothing, baby,” he says. “I think I’m just tired. Do you mind if we just sleep after all?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, of course not,” Keith says, gentle and loving as he looks at Shiro and reaches up to caress his face. “But is that really all this is? You suddenly seemed like a million miles away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro swallows, licking his lips. Hesitating.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know you can talk to me, right?” Keith says, sitting up a bit straighter, his gaze clearing up with seriousness. “Was it the idea of another baby? If you don’t want one, then…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But do you?” Shiro murmurs, finding himself meeting Keith’s eyes. “Want another?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith lowers his eyes, a soft pink taking over his cheeks in a charming, sweet way. “I have to admit I wouldn’t mind it,” he says. “Despite everything; the terrible twos, the tantrums, the way they can wear me out…you know those kids are my world, Takashi. And the twins will grow out of this phase soon enough, and then they’ll be off to school, too. It’ll be lonely when they’re gone. I wouldn’t mind having another little one to look after when that happens.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I mean,” Shiro presses on. “You still want to stay home? Just be a househusband? Don’t you want to go back to work?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith blinks, before narrowing his eyes. “Is this about what Lance said at the get-together weeks ago?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro blanches a little. Sometimes it’s still shocking to realize just how well Keith knows and understands him. He doesn’t think any average person would be able to draw that connection.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s part of it, yes, but only in that it brought the matter to my mind,” Shiro forces out. “Keith, please be honest with me. Have I pushed you into staying home with the kids when I went back to work? Should we have discussed it more so you could have had your career as well? I mean, don’t you want more than this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Takashi,” Keith says, shaking his head, his eyes warm and soft. “I spent most of my life being tossed from foster home to group home. Then trying to prove something to everyone at the Garrison, then grieving and searching for you, and then fighting an intergalactic war leading a team of inexperienced pilots as an inexperienced leader flying giant robot cats in outer space. Believe me when I say that after all that, I like the quiet, simple, stable life I get to have with my family where my biggest problems are figuring out what to cook for dinner, how to deal with temper tantrums, and that my working husband can relax and spend time with our children when he’s home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Keith smiles. “Maybe someday, when the kids are older, I’ll want to go back to work. And when we’re old and retired, we’ll explore space again like those old couples who go on worldwide cruises. But right now, all I want is to be at home and focus on taking care of our family, and you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “You swear? You’re not lying?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you’d be able to tell after all these years. You know I’m a shitty liar,” Keith says warmly, giving Shiro a small kiss on the mouth. But when he pulls back again, his eyes are a bit misty, and not in a good way. “Does it bother you though? That I want to stay at home? Does it make me…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Shiro rushes to shout. “Whatever you may think, it’s not that. As long as you’re happy, I don’t care what you do. And no matter what you do, I know you’ll still work at it with the attention and energy you always put into everything, the drive that I fell in love with. I was just worried you might be pushing your own wants aside for me again.” He lowers his eyes. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to stay at home so I can have my career.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise it’s not like that,” Keith says, reaching to take Shiro’s hand. “This is just what I want to be doing at this point of my life. I think I even need this quieter period, to be stable and at home with my family. My </span>
  <em>
    <span>family</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Takashi.” He shakes his head, his eyes shining with moved tears. “For a long time, I didn’t think I’d even get one. Let alone one like this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me either,” Shiro says softly, now taking his turn to lean down to peck Keith on the lips. “I get what you mean, and I respect that. I just want you to be happy, and if being at home is what makes you happy, I’m glad for it. Honestly, it has been a tremendous help that you’re here with the kids. But just…let me know if what you want changes, okay? I won’t have you stuck in doing something just because it’s convenient.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise I’ll tell you, if my mind changes,” Keith says. “But you should know better than to listen to Lance. And you could’ve just talked to me about this in the first place.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” Shiro says, a little sheepish. “I will next time, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Keith says, giving him a kiss. “Now, do you really want to go to sleep or return to what we were doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shiro grins, and responds by tossing Keith on his back and kissing him hard on the mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The End</span>
</p>
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